Concrete retaining wall blocks are used to build any number of landscape structures, such as, for example, raised planting beds and soil retention walls. These structures are generally formed by stacking the retaining wall blocks on top of one another in successive courses. During assembly of such retention or retaining walls, loose dirt often finds its way onto surfaces of the blocks. When the next course is placed on top of the already placed blocks, due to the dirt or other debris, the lower surfaces of the blocks of the upper course are not flush with the upper surfaces of the blocks of the preceding or lower course. This causes the blocks to sit unevenly and create uneven loading or point loads on the blocks. Such loads can become quite large depending on the height of the retaining wall being assembled and the amount of load being retained. In fact, in some instances, the unevenly distributed loads and point loads can cause vertical cracks in or even break the retaining wall blocks, thereby potentially compromising the structural integrity of the retaining wall.